


Promises of her Parents

by KaeCover



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M, Marriage, Modern Royalty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-20 15:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9498293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaeCover/pseuds/KaeCover
Summary: Riley Matthews has many titles and seen in different ways by many people. Her birthday is coming up and it is up to her to bring two feuding kingdoms together all while figuring her self out, with her best friend by her side what could go wrong? Apart from the boy that her parents have bound her to.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you like this!  
> Warning: Contains arranged marriage

“Excuse me, your highness but am I able to come in and fix the bed for you?” A soft call sounded out from behind the large doors. 

Riley looked up from the book she was reading and gracefully hopped off the bay window seat she was sitting on. 

“Come on in Maya!” She called with a large beam and in entered her best friend and top maid. 

Maya’s mother helped out in the kitchens and lived inside the palace so two girls grew up together, regardless of their status in society. Her blonde friend was a spunky fireball who always got in trouble with the adults surrounding her. Her mother always wanted to be an actress but couldn’t find the money to join the local performing arts academy Riley’s father had built many years ago. But the palace staff always put on an end of year performance and Katie always got the leading role. Centre stage was her home she often said.

Maya walked into the room before jumping onto the bed with a mighty thud. Riley chuckled and did a short sprint before joining her on the bed also.   
Maya grinned with a strange gleam in her eyes and raised her hand up in the air, pillow in her grasp and Riley raised an eyebrow before grabbing a pillow of her own for self-defence. And that was how the Great Battle of the Pillows #762 began.

A good solid 30 minutes later and two panting girls later, a knock at the door made them pause and lift their heads towards the door. 

Riley cleared her throat before speaking.  
“Come in” She said while standing from the bed and walking over closer to the door, with   
Maya scampering off the bed and quickly making it up. 

Charlie came in and bowed before speaking directly to Riley.  
“Your highness, his majesty requires you in the throne immediately.” He bowed once again before retreating behind the door and closing it gently behind him. Riley looked over to Maya confused her just grimaced and led her towards the dressing table. The brunette sat down and looked at herself in the mirror with her head crooked to the side in thought. Her best friend worked around her, braiding her hair, twisting it and pulling it back. 

Riley Matthews is what she saw but she knew very many people saw her just as that title and not others that came along with her. To her father she was his daughter, heir and then Riley. When she was born her father quickly changed the laws so that if he had any more children and they happened to be boys, she would not lose her entitlement to the throne. A few years later, August was born. He was commonly known to everyone as Auggie and he was always very proud showing off how old he was. 

Maya lightly dusted her face with powder before patting her head gently, offering a small amount of comfort to her. Riley smiled at her in the mirror before standing. She pulled at the hem of her dress before confidently raising her head to leave.

When she reached the throne room, Riley saw her mother and father waiting for her. She stood in front of them before curtsying elegantly. When she raised her head she saw her mother beaming at her but her eyes held a strange emotion. Something she had not seen in Topanga’s eyes before. 

“Riley, as you know you are now coming to the age of 15, we need to start thinking about your future and this kingdoms future. As you also know, I have been trying to bring together the two kingdoms that have been fighting for many years. Now King Stuart and I have come up with a plan as we are both sick of war. We only hope that you will help us with this.” Her father said and Riley shook her head quickly, prepared to do anything for her parents. 

“We are holding a ball in honour of your birthday and have invited both kingdoms in the attempts to make friends with some of the people.” Her mother added in with a gleam in her eyes at the thought of hosting a ball. 

“Now here is something I want you to do, can you please become friends with King Stuart’s son? His name in Farkle and I think you two will get on quite nicely….” Her mother continued to speak but Riley didn’t listen to the rest. Her mind was reeling with this information. 

Surely my parents don’t want me to be just friends with him. I can see it in their eyes, there is more to the story than they were letting on she thought. 

Her parents soon dismissed her and she walked back to her room to talk to Maya. When she reached the doors of her chambers she stopped to notice the delicate craving into the wood and how it started from one end to the other. Not breaking the pattern. 

She pushed down on the handle and walked in to see Maya surrounded by fabric and holding a bunch of safety pins while Katie was bustling around with tape measure thrown around her neck in haste. 

“Riley! There you are, come on over. We need to get started on this dress if we want it ready for next week. I would say to any other person ‘we are going to make you look beautiful’ but since you naturally do anyway, I will just try and enhance that.” Katy said this with a wide smile and beckoned her over with a hand wave. 

Katy and Maya were as close to family as they could possibly get. She always went to them if she had problem as her parents were busy most of the time running the show. But she was always included with these two and they didn’t care about the crown that was placed on her head. 

As she talked to Maya about dress designs she thought back to what her parents said and told Katy she wanted to make a statement with her dress. That she was more than just the glitters of jewellery and tiaras.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying this so far!

Riley was sitting in the bay window when someone walked into the room and only then did the girl look at from her intense staring outside.

“Come on peaches, show time” Maya said extending her hand out to her friend. The brunette took it and the two walked out into the hall. Guards bowing as they passed until they reached the door that blocked them from the chaos and socializing of the ball.

“I will see you later” Maya was invited to the ball of course but she was told she could not enter with Riley. The blonde walked away to main entrance to the ballroom but not before giving her a thumbs and a smile, then she was swept up in the cowards. 

Riley was quite nervous as her parents had given her a certain dress to wear but she went behind their back and made one of her own, with the help of brilliant Katy. Riley looked gorgeous but not a typical princess way. Her hand reached up to play with the braid in her hair, waiting for her cue to enter. She was to walk into the room after everyone had arrived so her parents could ‘show her off’ to everyone. She hated the stares and always felt like she was being judged so this year she decided if she was going to be judged, might as well do it in style. 

Not soon after she heard a loud voice boom over the sound of chatter and the talking stopped between groups to listen. 

“Celebrating her 15th birthday, King Cory and Queen Topanga’s daughter, Princess Riley” And that was when the large doors swung open revealing Riley standing on top of the stair case. She was not wearing your typical full length dress and she heard a gasp from somewhere in the room. Most probably coming from the mouth of her father. 

She was wearing pink and purple maxi dress that went down to her feet. It clinched in at her waist slightly before naturally flowing downwards. It had one purple triangle facing downwards on the bodice, one just on top of her waist and multiple near the hem of the dress. Her hair was naturally out with single braid on the side of her head. It had a piece of ribbon or rope braided in it, highlighting the colours of her hair. Her makeup was naturally done, with nude lips and some eye liner on her eyes to make them pop slightly.  
Not the idea her parents had for a birthday dress. 

Riley scanned the crowd quickly but felt a certain pair of eye linger on her. Her eyes zipped to make eye contact. It was a boy around her age was looking at her with a bright smile and she felt herself shyly smiling back. 

She made her way down the stairs and stood next to her parents who were smiling brightly and shaking hands with multiple people who were giving them their congratulations on their daughter. Riley felt slightly miffed that she was being ignored especially when she was the topic on hand. Soon she heard her father called for her to pay attention when this man walked up to them with a wide smile. Riley internally raised an eyebrow at his face but kept her expression neutral on her face. 

“Cory!” He bellowed while striding confidently up to them. Cory said his hellos before turning to his wife.

“Topanga!” He said while opening up his arms wide.

“Stuart” She said kindly with a smile but did not go in for any hugs with him. 

“No it seems I have lost my son somewhere, I must introduce him to you” He ended looking straight at Riley and she looked at him with a small smile. Hoping inside her head that he wasn’t another stuffy pampered boy who doesn’t look at anyone but himself in the mirror. 

“If you will please excuse me” She said quietly to her mother, who nodded slightly as she was already quite busy talking to Stuart’s wife. 

Riley slipped outside and made her way to the gardens. Her favourite place in the entire castle. Her roman sandals crunched against the pebbles as she walked aimlessly around, hoping for some natural relief to her problems. 

She noticed a figure hunched over in the distance. They were sitting at one of the benches placed around the garden. She walked up and sat down next to them, crossing her legs as she did this.

“Hey” She said softly to them and soon noticed it was the boy who was staring at her earlier. 

“Hi” He replied before turning to face her with a hesitant smile.

“You must be King Stuart’s son huh?” She said as she looked him over, noticing features in his face that resembles his fathers.

“Yep, you must be princess Riley?” He countered back at her with a small smile.

“The one and only!” She replied giving him a massive smile. 

“So what do you know of the plan that our parents have been not-so-subtlety been planning?” He said as he leaned back, knowing that he would spending a lot of time with her in the future if whatever his father had told him was anything to go by. Might as well get comfortable now he thought.

“My father said something about being friends but I don’t think that is end. When they were talking together not so long ago I swear I had the word marriage but no offence, I really hope that isn’t the case. I am too young to be married!” She said nervously and he sighed. His father had something along the same lines, he also knew his parents wanted more than friendship out of this. 

“If they are trying to get us wedded, what do we do?” He said equally as nervously. He did not want to go down to marriage route for some time. 

“No idea” Riley replied finally, looking down at her lap.


	3. Chapter 3

Minutes ticked by before, Riley turned to him and giving him a smile, she out stretched her hand.

“Hi, nice to meet you. I am Riley Matthews” She said with a cheeky grin and the boy chuckled but replied in a similar fashion.

“I am Farkle Minkus, not entirely if robot or human” He said jokingly and Riley laughed quietly at his joke. 

“We had better head inside, fake some smiles and eye up all the chocolate we are not allowed to eat.” Farkle said as he stood up, crooking his elbow out for her. She hesitantly linking her elbow with him as they walked along the garden in silence. Thinking about the future and how it was out of their control. 

As they reached the grand double doors, they both simultaneously took a deep breath before pushing open the doors. The crowds fell silent at the sight of the princess and prince as they walked in hand in hand. The two heard some nearly inaudible squeals most defiantly coming from the mouths of their mothers. Riley blushed and looked her father in the eye, he raised his chin slightly as if it was a challenge. And she rose to it. Riley turned to Farkle, kissing him gently on the cheek before leading them both over to their parents. Cory was smiling softly to himself while Stuart was smirking widely. 

“Ahhh, Riley I see you have met my son!” King Stuart said brightly as he slung one arm around Farkle’s shoulders. Riley noticed the immediate tension in Farkle’s body when Stuart touched him. Obviously not used to affection she thought grimly. 

“Riley, I was just speaking to your father and we thought you two could become pen pals? Maybe you could become such close friends, you may want to see more of each other in the future?” Stuart raised his eyebrow at the end of his sentence and Topanga sent him a warning glance. Most probably to be subtler, oh well, Dad is as about subtle as an elephant on a skateboard is Farkle thought to himself. 

Riley shot Farkle are worried look before quickly turning back to the adults with a smile plastered on her face.

“Of course we would be happy to keep in touch, now if you please excuse me I would like to the introduce prince Farkle to Maya” She said before turning on her heel, grabbing Farkle’s arm with her. 

Riley walked across the room, dodging dancing couples and stuffy old men talking in the middle of the floor. All while Farkle was being dragged along.  
When they reached the far corner, Riley spotted Maya talking to a taller boy with a huge grin. The brunette laughed to herself as she made her presence known. 

“Oh Riley! Meet Lucas!” Maya said excitedly while Lucas bowed deeply towards the princess while she curtseyed in return. Farkle felt a small growl at the back of his thought and his mind was thrown into shock. Where did that come from? He thought hurriedly before extending his hand out to the other male.

“Prince Farkle” He said making a point and Maya raised an eyebrow in Riley’s direction. The princess blushed slightly. Lucas’ smiled slipped slightly before it repaired itself and shook hands with Farkle. Maya looked over the other’s shoulders and saw her mother walk in looking worried and the blonde raced over to join her. 

“Hey Mum! What’s up” Maya asked brightly once she reached her. Katy looked over and saw Riley beaming at them from a distance and she felt her heart tug for the sweet girl. 

“Come on baby girl. I will tell you but not here.” Katy said as she led the pair outside and away from preying ears. Maya followed but with a worried expression. Usually her mother was not serious. Ever since she had met a nice man who somehow was King Cory’s best friend. She had never seen her mother so happy. 

The two walked outside onto an empty balcony and they faced one another.

“Mum, what’s wrong? Is Shawn okay?” Maya asked worriedly and Katy shook her head slightly. 

“No baby girl. Shawn is completely okay but Riley may not be” Katy said with a small grimace on her face. 

“Riles…” Maya said softly while raising her gaze to her mother’s and placed a question in her eyes.

“I heard some of the maids talking not 5 minutes ago and apparently her parents have arranged a marriage between her and Prince Farkle. They will have to do this ‘for the greater of the kingdoms’” Katy finished her sentence with venom laced in heavily. Her opinion on this matter was apparent. 

“Married?” The blonde said while she swung her body around the face the glass door, inside she could see Riley talking to some other girls with some chocolate dipped strawberries in her hand and a comfortable looking Farkle standing by her side. They looked every bit of the perfect royal couple.


	4. Chapter 4

Maya turned back to her mother and forced a smile. 

“Well he looks like a nice guy at least.” She said trying to put on a brave face even though she was frightened at the thought of losing her best friend so early on in their lives.   
“I have been told by some of the other servants that had come with the Prince and his father, that he is a lovely boy. Quite strange but so is everyone” Katy said and she looked over Maya’s shoulder to see her friend, Aubrey was waving her over. Probably ran out of fancy food Katy thought and quickly sent her daughter back into the ball to keep her friend company. 

Maya wove her way through the crowds, trying to reach her friend with her mind buzzing with thoughts that she had hoped not to think about for many more years. Yet here she was. She spotted her friend in the crowd laughing at a joke that one of their palace friends had made. Maya sided up next her brunette friends and clasped her hand with hers. 

Riley looked Maya briefly before returning the other girls surrounding her. They were going on about some new guard who was apparently only 3 years older than them.   
“What’s three years?” The girls swooned to one another. One girl even went as far to start fanning her face as the other spoke of this new guard. Riley rolled her eyes at Maya and the blonde chuckled slightly. Neither of them cared much for palace gossip. 

There was a sudden hush among the crowds and the girls swirled around to see the King and Queen standing at the top of the stairs, looking at Riley with intense eyes. Riley knowing, they were silently beckoning her, she gave her glass to Maya and walked gracefully across the ballroom. The crowd parted and at the end of the funnel of people stood Farkle with one hand extended. 

The princess briefly raised her head to the meet the gaze of her mother, Topanga’s head bobbed slightly and Riley turned her gaze back down to Farkle. Her lips curled faintly upwards and she raised her hand towards him and he took it. Kissing it delicately before leading them to the middle of the ballroom for a dance. 

Farkle placed his hands on her waist and she placed her hand in the correct position. After years of multiple teachers drumming proper etiquette into her brain, she could do this in her sleep. The music began to play and Riley whipped around her head to see Maya standing next to the DJ, if you could call him that, and she was looking very smug. The brunette smiled warmly at her before returning her attention to her dance partner. 

They swayed together, feeling everyone’s eyes burning holes in their backs, watching every movement. Looking for a fault. 

Farkle looked to the side for a moment before a cheeky grin stretched out upon his face. The princess raised an eyebrow in confusion. The music suddenly changed the temp changed. Riley smirked slightly before preparing herself, she started to sway her hips with the music and Farkle grinned. 

“Ready?” He asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Her eyes filled with mirth and crooked her head a fraction as if she was in thought and then shook her head.

“Are you?” And Farkle beamed at her response before pulling her closer to him in a stiff position and she mirrored. He moved one foot behind him and slowly brought back in next to his other foot. All while moving his body and hips in time with the music.

Riley kicked one foot behind, in a mermaid tail flick type way. When her body moved, it was revealed her dress had a small split down the side. Making it easy for her move her legs around. 

They moved back and forth, a small tango going on between the two teenagers and on lookers were either smiling or scowling. Riley did a small dance on her feet before Farkle spun her out for a twirl. He brought her back in closer and slowly. 

They started to pace the floor together as one and they were moving in sync with one another. Gliding their feet across the ground and Riley flicked her feet around Farkle legs before kicking her feet up once more. 

The couple continued their movement across the ballroom and Maya watched on the two with a knowing smile. But her eyes were haunted with another emotion besides happiness. She was happy for her friend. If this Farkle guy was as nice as everyone said he was, Riley may have a chance of happiness in this arranged marriage. 

Farkle dropped Riley to the ground so she could do a partial split and then pulling her upwards. Twirling her out, her hair flying around and with a massive smile on her face. Riley hooked one foot around Farkle’s waist and he held her weight as she pointed her foot upwards, towards the ceiling. 

The music faded in the background and the two royals released one another from their position before an applause sounded out throughout the ballroom, along with some wolf-whistles from some of the young men in the room causing Riley to blush slightly from all the attention. 

The set of parents standing and watching were all looking onto the situation with smiles and thinking of hopes for the future.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the night was spent with the King and Queen shaking hands with other important or noble men, giving them their best wishes for ‘the young match’. Katie walked around with her servers’ uniform, shaking her head at some of the conversations she ears dropped onto. She thought it was disgusting the way the rich were dictating the teenager’s life like this. One of the reasons why she was more than happy to make a new dress of Riley, different from the one old Queen had set out for her. The older Queen, or more like ex-queen if you could call her that was very strict in her ways. She believed she had no faults. 

She had been one of the main culprits to Riley’s distaste for the royal life. The older Queen was constantly barking her thoughts of Riley to anyone who would listen.   
“Her hair is terrible! I mean, what princess has hair that like that?”

“The princess is gaining weight, please make sure you monitor everything she eats. There is to be no more chocolate or sugars.”

“She cannot sing to save her life. If you wanted to listen to sound of cats hitting the fan, she is the person to go to.”  
“She should be married off by now! I was!”

These were the tamer comments she had made over the years. She refused to see Riley when she was first born as she was not a boy. The older Queen had all the blue clothes sorted, cakes spelling out the words of ‘prince’, alerted the media of the arrival of the new born prince. And even picked out the baby’s name. But that never happened. Riley had been a very happy baby girl.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden hush throughout the room and she stopped her movement of walking to see what had happened. The King and Queen had once again hushed the room but this time were joined with King Stuart and Queen Jennifer. Standing in front of them were their oldest children.

Katy shook her head and her lips were pressed together in a line. She sighed heavily before catching Riley’s eye. Katy rolled her eyes dramatically and Riley stifled a giggle. The older blonde women saw Farkle nudged her gently in the ribs. Most probably saying ‘shut up’. 

The ballroom erupted into applause and people started to slowly made their way outside to awaiting transportation. Hands were being shaken, hugs were received and goodbyes were exchanged. 

As the last staggering people made their way out, the two Kings rounded up their teenage kids together. King Stuart was the first to speak. 

“Now from what that little dancing displayed, I am guessing you two have taken a liking to one another?” Without waiting for a reply he continued. “Excellent! You two will now become pen pals okay? So you can text one each other and write letters? Sounds good? Good.” And with that he walked away.

Riley and Farkle exchanged glances with a weird expression on their faces and turned back to King Corey. 

“Come along Riley, say your goodbyes and off to bed” He said somewhat gently and went over to loop arms with his wife before turning his back to the teenagers for some ‘privacy’.

“Farkle, it was nice meeting you and I hope we can stay in touch. After all we never made an escape plan” She ended her sentence with a slight chuckle and Farkle laughed at her comment. Thinking back to earlier in the evening, when they first met.

“Well princess Riley, I await you first letter. Escape plans as an extra bonus.” He said and with a flourish he mocked bowed in front of her. Riley laughed at his antics and they continued talking until Farkle’s parents called him over. The two waved to each other one final time before Riley turned around and walked back to her bedroom.  
Sitting on her bed was Maya, already dressed in her pyjamas. Or more like a tank top and some shorts. Which was what both of them usually wore when they slept. 

“So how was Prince Charming? Swept you off your feet yet?” Maya said teasingly and Riley blushed at her statements. She walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, looking around her room before answering. 

“Who knows Maya? Maybe….” She trailed off and she looked at her best friend. Maya chucked a pillow at her head and that was the start of the Great Battle of the Pillows #763.


	6. Chapter 6

A few weeks had passed when Riley received her first of many letter from Farkle. Charlie brought it in to her late one afternoon while she was in training. She had an army of tutors preparing her for when she would take over the Kingdom and she would be their sovereign. She grabbed the letter eagerly and her current teacher dismissed her from classes on principle as the King had told all staff if she received any letter from Prince Farkle they are to end the class for the day.

Riley tore open the letter, sinking in every word that was inked into the paper. She ran to her room, not caring that she was not meant to do anything more than a purposeful stride along the corridor. 

The door was wide open as the guards nearby heard her coming down the hallway and opened the door in preparation.

Riley ran and jumped on her bed, getting herself comfortable she continued her letter. 

'Dear Riley,  
How are you? Last time we spoke was at the ball and I am very sorry it has taken me so long to write to you. Father would have a small fit if he found out….   
Not much has happened over the last few weeks. I am being prepared to become King and all that. I am guessing it is the same for you. I don’t know how you feel but I am not looking forward to being crowned. When I was younger I had an obsession with the thought of taking over the world and re-naming my Kingdom ‘Farkle Nation’ haha looked where that turned out.'

Riley laughed out loud at this before looking around as if she was trying to see if anyone heard her. Even though she was alone in her bedroom.

'I heard my father talking to some old important guy and they were talking about an impending marriage. Do you think they were talking about us? Are we to wed? I would probably not make a good husband. Unlike you, you seem to take everything in stride and are amazing at everything you do.'

Riley blushed at this.

'At the moment I studying world history. My teacher refuses to admit that I know everything already. I do nearly know everything. All I need to know is what happened in Belgium in 1813 and then I will listed among the geniuses of the world.  
I am joking by the way. No need to worry. My neck can still hold my head.  
Also the other day I heard my Mother talk about…. sorry I have to go; Father is calling me. I am looking forward to your reply.   
Farkle'

Riley placed the piece of paper by her side and she slowly slide off her bed. Walking over to one of massive windows in her room, she leaned against the hard frame and looked out. Wrapping her arms around herself she let herself think about what the future may hold for her. Would my parents make me marry him? She kept thinking over and over again. A small tickled down her face as she thought of how the walls kept closing in around her.


End file.
